Ignition controller



Aug. 7, 1934. J. L. ARTHUR IGNITION CONTROLLER Filed Aug. 24, 1931 Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTy 'OFFICE IGNITION CONTROLLER James L. Arthur, Anderson, Ind., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich.,

Ware

a corporation of Dela- I'his invention relates to the control of spark timing for ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines and more particularly to engines for automotive vehicles.

An object of the present invention is to secure a greater degree of retard when idling than heretofore possible, and to obtain a relatively rapid rate of spark advance as the throttle is moved into running position. In carrying out this object of the present invention broadly speaking, means are provided to control the timing of ignition by a suction operated means i'n a manner such that, while idling, suction'tends to retard; and while running suction tends to advance.

More specifically the object of the present invention is accomplished by providing a simple suction operated piston or diaphragm connected with the spark advance lever of the ignition timer, suction chambers on each side of the diaphragm, and means operated by the throttle valve operating mechanism for so controlling the communication between the intake and the suction chambers that while idling, the diaphragm will be operated by suction in a direction to retard the spark timing and that while running, the diaphragm will be operated by suction in a direction to advance the spark timing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 v:showing the throttle valve in open position.

Referring to the drawing, a conduit or fuel inlet 20, which may be a part of the carburetor or the manifold, serves to conduct a fuel mixture from the carburetor to the manifold.

Journalled to the side walls of the conduit 20` is a throttle valve 21 having a lever or link 22 attached thereto. The link is attached by suitable means, such as a rod or a Bowden wire connection, leading to the usual control mechanism (not shown) at a point that is convenient to the operator, the mechanism controlling the movements of the throttle valve 21.

Secured to the inlet 20 in any suitable manner is a valve mechanism 23 having a casing forming a valve block 24 within which is a slide valve 25 having annular grooves 26 and 27 cooperating with vents 28 and 29 respectively, in the seat 24.

Located at one end of the seat 24 is a spring 30 held under compression within the seat against the valve 25 by a plug 31 screw-threaded to the seat 24. The other end of the valve outside of the seat supports a roller 32 adapted to engage a cam 33. The cam 33 of suitable contour is attached to the throttle valve shaft and moves in unison with the throttlevalve 21 in a counterclockwise rotation as the throttle valve is moved to open position, as viewed in the drawing. When the throttle valve is opened, the valve 25 andthe roller 32 are moved to the left by the spring 30.

The valve 25 is provided with a passage 35 connecting a passage 36 with the conduit 20 by a pipe 37 attached to the plug 31. Groove 27 provides a passage for connecting passage 36 with the vent 29, as shown in Fig. 2. The block 24 is provided with a tubular boss 38 to which a sleeve 39 of a suction actuating or fluid pressure device 40 is connected in any suitable manner. Within the boss 38 is a guide sleeve 41 provided with a passage 42 cooperating with the passage 36 of the block 24.

The device 40 has a movable member or diaphragm 43 separating the device into. two

chambers 44 and 45, each chamber having suction or fluid communication with the conduit 20 through the passages 36 and 28 respectively. The diaphragm 43 is secured to one end of a sleeve 46, the sleeve being reduced at one end forming a shoulder to receive a cup-shaped washer 52, the diaphragm 43 and a cup-shaped washer 53. The elements 52, 43 and 53 are held upon the sleeve 46 by staking or riveting a portion of the sleeve over against the washer 53. This sleeve 46 has a passage 47 that is in communication with the chamber 44. The passage 47 is enlarged as at 48 so that that portion of the sleeve 46 will slide over the guide sleeve 41. The sleeve 46 is provided with a flange 50 providing a seat for a cupshaped washer 51. y

Secured to theother end of the sleeve 46 is a rod 54 slidable in an aperture or guideway of a casing 55 that is secured to the device 40, as by riveting or the like. The rod 54 has a collar 56 forming a stop for a flanged sleeve 57 mounted on the rod. The casing 55 is counterbored as at 58 and 59 forming a shoulder to limit the outward movement of the sleeve 57.

Located within the chambers 44 and 45 are springs 60 and 61 respectively, the spring 60 being interposed between the flanged sleeve 57 and the washer 53 and the spring 61 between the washer 52 and the washer 51, the washer 51 seating on the end of the boss 38 forming a stop for the Washer 51. The springs 60 and 61 tend to resist the action of the fluid pressure upon the diaphragm 43 while the device 40 is actuated to advance or retard the ignition according to the position of the throttle valve.

The outer end of the rod 54 is connected to a lever 63 of the ignition timer 64. The actuation of the lever 63 is caused by the movement of the diaphragm 43. The timer 64 carries the usual circuit breaker 65 having a rubbing block 66 that cooperates with a cam 67 driven by the engine to interrupt and establish the primary circuit at the movable contact 68 and the stationary contact 69. As the timer is a well known structure to those skilled in the art it need not be described in detail.

The operation of the device is as follows: with the parts in position as shown in Fig. 1, the suction device 40 is in communication with the conduit 20 through the valve 23. When the engine is started, suction is created in the conduit 20 between the valve 21 and the engine and a corresponding suction is caused to occur in the chamber 44 that tends to draw the diaphragm upward as viewed in the drawing to retard the timer mechanism but in opposition to the spring 60 which tends to advance the spark. The suction is established from the conduit 20 above the throttle 21 to the chamber 44 of the device 40 through the pipe 37, passages 35, 36, 42, and 47. The suction within the device 40 will depend on the position of the throttle valve 21 and the suction within the conduit 20. The suction in the conduit 20 above the throttle is very high when the throttle is closed and becomes less as this throttle is opened. Consequently the spring 60 is operative to advance the igniting timing as the throttle 21 is moved from idling position. While the valve is in the idle position, as substantially indicated in Fig. 1, the chamber 45 is in communication with air under atmospheric pressure through the vent 28 and groove 26 of the valve 25.

As the throttle valve 21 opens to the position shown in Fig. 2, the valve 25 is moved to the left by the spring 30 connecting the passage 35 with the passage 28, whereby suction is established from the conduit 20 to the chamber 45 of the device 40 through the pipe 37, passages 35 and 28. While the valve is in position as indicated in Fig. 2, the chamber 44 is in communication with air under atmospheric pressure through vent 29, groove 27 and passages 36, 48 and 47. If the valve 21 is opened from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of obtaining increased speed when driving at part load, a suction pressure increasing with throttle opening will be produced within the chamber 45 moving the diaphragm 43 downward thereby advancing the timer mechanism in opposition to the spring 61 which tends to retard the spark.

As the load increases, the throttle 21 remaining in a part or full load position the speed will decrease; consequently the suction in the intake 20 and in chamber 45 will decrease thereby permitting spring 61 to move the lever 63 toward retard position'.

It will be apparent from the preceding description that the ignition controller provides a higher degree of retard during idling and relatively rapid rate of advance as soon as the throttle valve is moved into a running position, for example a position corresponding to a vehicular speed of approximately 16 M. P. H. The cam is of abrupt contour and secured to the throttle shaft causing the piston 25 to shift abruptly from the suction operated position of retard to the suction operated position of advance.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedyconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an ignition controller, the combination comprising an engine; an ignition timer; a displacement member with a suction chamber on either side for either advancing or retarding the ignition; and means for causing the displacement member to retard the ignition while idling, and for causing said displacement member to advance the ignition while running.

2. In an ignition controller, the combination comprising an engine; an ignition timer, a diaphragm with a suction chamber on either side thereof for either advancing or retarding the ignition; and means for causing the diaphragm to retard the ignition while idling and for causing said diaphragm to advance the ignition while running.

3. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve; an ignition timer; a displacement member with a suction chamber on either side thereof for either advancing or retarding the ignition, and a valve coordinated with the throttle valve for causing said displacement member to retard the ignition while idling, and for causing the displacement membervto advance the ignition While running.

4. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve, an ignition timer; a diaphragm with a suction chamber on either side thereof for either advancing or retarding the ignition; and a valve operated by a cam on the throttle shaft for causing said diaphragm to retard the ignition while idling, and causing the diaphragm to advance the ignition while running.

5. In an ignition controller, the combination comprising; an engine; an ignition timer; a suction operated control means provided with two chambers, one for retarding and the other for advancing the ignition; and means for controlling said suction operated means for selecting either the retarding or the advancing chamber.

6. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve; an ignition timer; a suction operated control means connected with said intake conduit, said means comprising a pair of suction chambers, one on each side of a displacement member, one of said chambers having retarding and the other advancing ignition functions; and a valve operated with the throttle valve for selecting either the retarding or the advancing chamber.

7. In an ignition controller, the combination comprising; an engine having an intake and a throttle valve; an ignition timer; a diaphragm controlled on either side thereof by fluid pressure developed by'the engine for adjusting the ignition; and means operable with said throttle controlling the uid pressure to actuate said diaphragm to retard the ignition while said engine is idling, and to actuate said diaphragm to advance the ignition while said engine is running.

8. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve; an ignition timer; two suction chambers, one on each side of a displacement member, conduit means leading to each of said chambers; and valve means for connecting selectively said chambers with said intake conduit to advance or retard the ignition.

9. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve; an ignition timer; a suction actuated device cooperating with said timer to advance or retard the ignition, said suction device comprising two suction chambers, one on each side of a diaphragm; conduit means providing passages between each chamber and the intake conduit; and means for selecting the passage to the chamber to advance or retard the ignition.

10. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve; an ignition timer; a suction actuated device operating said timer to advance or retard the ignition; said device comprising two suction chambers, one on each side of a displacement member; means providing a passage between each chamber of said device and the intake conduit; means controlled by the movement of the throttle for cutting oi the suction to one of said chambers and opening the passage to the other chamber, said means being effective upon a predetermined movement of the throttle.

11. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit, an ignition device controlling mechanism therefor; a housing; a movable member in said housing in mechanical connection with said controlling mechanism, said movable member separating said housing into two suction chambers, conduit means connecting said chambers with said intake conduit; and valve means operable in one position for communicating the engine suction in the intake conduit to one of said chambers to retard the ignition, and operable in another position to connect the other chamber to advance the ignition.

12. In an ignition controller, the combination with an engine having an intake conduit and a throttle valve; an ignition device controlling mechanism therefor; a casing; a movable member in said casing in mechanical connection with said controlling mechanism, said movable member separating said casing int'o two suction chambers, one on each side of said movable member; conduits connecting each of said chambers with said intake conduit; valve means controlled by the engine-throttle for connecting each of said chambers independently with the intake conduit, said valve means operable in one position to connect one of said chambers to retard and in another position to connect the other chamber to advance the ignition.

13. In an ignition timer, the ccmbination with a timer setting in normal position before the engine is started, of automatic double-acting means to utilize the suction in the intake manifold of the engine for retarding the timing from normal under certain predetermined conditions and for advancing the timing from normal under certain other predetermined conditions.

14. In an ignition timer, a circuit breaker, a rotatable cam for actuating the same, constantly acting means operable by itself to eiect a normal timing for low or moderate engine speeds, and supplementary means for rendering the vacuum of the engine intake passage effective to modify the effect of said constantly acting means to cause an advance of the timing for higher speeds or a retardation of the timing for idling.

15. In an ignition timer, the combination with a normal timer setting for operating at low or moderate speed, of means automatically operable at higher speed to control the suction of the intake manifold of the engine to advance the timing from the normal setting, and means automatically operable, when the engine is' idling, to control said suction to retard the timing from the normal setting.

16. In an ignition timer, a circuit breaker, a

rotatable cam for actuating the same, constantly acting means operable by itself to effect a normal timing for low or moderate engine speeds, and supplementary means to render the suction of the intake manifold effective for modifying the effect of said constantly acting means to cause the advance of the timing for higher speeds or a retardation from said normal timing for idling.

17. In an ignition timer, a circuit breaker, a reciprocable member, means controlled by the member for advancing or retarding the time of the break, means constantly acting on the member and operable by itself to effect an intermediate timing, and means for modifying the eifect of said constantly acting means to cause an advance of the timing for higher speeds or a retardation of the timing for idling.

18. In an ignition timer, a circuit breaker, a reciprocable member, means controlled by the member for advancing or retarding the time of the break, means constantly acting on the member and operable by itself to eil'ect an intermediate timing, and means for rendering the vacuum of the engine intake passage effective to modify the effect of said constantly acting means to cause an advance of the timing for higher speeds or a retardation of the timing for idling.

JAMES L. ARTHUR. 

